Loving Him
by godtierGrammarian
Summary: — she loves the sun for the way it sings on his skin. midlink poem.


_she was,_

 _to be frank,_

 _a little jealous of him._

 _a little afraid that_

 _the world would love him more than she knew how,_

 _and that he'd_

 _let it._

.

.

.

all she wanted

was to get her kingdom back.

he can't believe he once wanted

only to herd goats.

what she got was:

a dog who was also a hero

a princess in a tower

another world to save

he still remembers:

a shackle on his paw

her heels in his ribs

the taste of wet rat in his teeth

she wanted to hate him.

it was her fault his world was this way.

but hating him came harder

than she ever imagined.

he never thought she was ugly,

even though he wanted to, sometimes.

now it would almost be easier

to hate him.

he looks at her and he almost despises

how beautiful she looks to him.

she hates how afraid she gets

every time an enemy swings a sword.

he would die to keep her safe.

she sees him bleed,

and wishes only to destroy

everything that ever scared him.

fear is as nothing

compared to the way he feels

when he thinks of losing her.

looking at him, she realizes:

he is glorious, glowing

with all the light of the sun.

her skin speaks of the deepest shadows,

but her eyes are glowing coals

to fend off the worst of the dark in his heart.

loving him is forbidden.

when have they ever cared about rules?

loving him is crazy.

is it?

loving him is

all she is certain of,

these days.

if it weren't for her,

he would be lost

beyond all hope of saving.

but who could love an imp?

dogs are very loving, they say.

she is afraid:

keeps one eye hidden

under a mask.

when she was dying on his back,

he had never been more

terrified.

she cannot fight like this:

tiny fists, tiny feet,

hiding in a shadow.

her words in his ear,

sharp, impatient, worried,

make him pick up his sword

even when he is sure he cannot fight anymore.

what does she know of love,

anyway?

it is an easy language to learn:

a smile, sharp with laughter,

speaks a thousand words.

she wishes for hands

that are raw, beaten, blistered.

hers are too soft.

it embarrasses him to think

how much he would like

to kiss those hands.

she is not beautiful.

but neither is he.

she is small, misshapen, ugly.

he has dirt all over him:

feet, wrists, nose.

she hates the rain, the moon.

hatred does not make her ugly.

he marvels at her,

a tiny bundle of so much anger,

her eyes alight with fire.

these things she hates, but

she loves the sun

for the way it sings on his skin.

he loves to watch her when she is happy,

staring in awe at a flower

unfurling its petals in the morning light.

this world is an enigma.

he wonders what it is like

to live in the twilight.

but it is his world.

it belongs no more to him

than she does.

she is bound to love it,

as she loves him.

he loves her.

he can no longer deny it.

but there is a saying here.

she smiles at him from her true face

and there are no words left.

if you love something,

she glows in the desert sun

you let it go.

and she is gone.

.

.

.

she wanted so much to be selfish,

to let him take her in his arms,

to feel his hair against her cheek,

his fingers tangled in hers.

but she was not the same, selfish little imp

she once was.

standing there,

she looked at zelda and saw only

dots of light on her own skin.

looked at link and saw a frantic wolf

charging across a field to save her,

a boy with anguish in his eyes

when she warped him away,

to save him from ganondorf's wrath.

she looked out one last time

at the world of light she'd come to love

and knew love was the only option,

if she was going to save him again.

so she took a tear and let it go,

and looked only at him,

at him, right at him,

his picture burning into her mind,

so she'd never forget what he once was

to her.

and,

"see you later,"

she said

.

.

.

knowing full well

she never kept her promises.

.

.

.

* * *

 **A/N: They were cursed, not because he was a dog and she was an imp, but because they loved each other more than they could afford.**

 **If only she had chosen differently... maybe then I'd stop writing Midlink angst.**

 **But you and I both know that didn't happen, and never will.**

 **.**

 **Reviews are much appreciated!**

 **Love,**

 **godtierGrammarian**


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